


The Lightning in My Veins

by orphan_account



Series: One Shots & Shorts [5]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Coda, Kinda?, M/M, Season 6 Coda, Spoilers, sheith is canon y'all this day is beautiful
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-15
Updated: 2018-06-15
Packaged: 2019-05-23 20:34:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 912
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14940939
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Shiro could count on his fingers how many times he'd heard the words, I love you.





	The Lightning in My Veins

**Author's Note:**

> I just finished season 6 and y'all i'm a mess and sheith is canon king :) 
> 
> spoilers ahead
> 
> I'm not saying this is a companion piece but I do have another coda for season 5 [here](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13848243)

_ I love you _ . 

Shiro could count on his fingers how many times he’d heard the words I love you spoken to him out loud. There were not many times. The first was from his grandfather, whispered in his ear on the way home from the hospital after his parents died in a horrific car crash, only leaving him alive. He could remember the scent of mint and coffee on his grandfather’s breath as he whisked his grandson down the hallway from where he’d been standing, too shocked to move on his own. 

The second time had been from his grandmother before she passed away. She wrapped him up in her blanket while she lied in bed, placed a kiss on his forehead, and whispered the words gently in his ear. He sat with her until she was gone, tears streaking his too young face. 

He never heard the words again. 

His grandfather too stricken by the loss of his wife and Shiro too rebellious to sit down and just  _ talk _ . 

_ I love you _ . 

The memory sparked by a fresh, pink scar along Keith’s jawline made tears well in Shiro’s eyes as the image left a visceral agony in his breast and throat. In his mind, Shiro knew he hadn’t done it himself but his hands had almost taken Keith’s life. A permanent reminder lived now in Keith’s flesh and Shiro hated looking at it. However, the scar also reminded him of Keith’s desperate words. 

_ I love you _ . 

The castle of lions gone, Shiro knew there was no private place to speak. Krolia helped Keith navigate and Shiro remained on the floor, resting, as instructed by basically everyone on the team. Shiro lifted his one hand to touch the bangs across his eyes. They were not the only white hair on his head now. What would people think of him back on Earth now? 

Would they even recognize him? 

Would he even recognize himself? 

“Shiro.” 

Shiro dropped his hand from his face and looked up to see Keith standing over him. “Keith.”  _ I love you, too _ . 

“We’re almost there. Home. Can you believe it?” 

“No,” Shiro said quietly. “Been so long since we’ve been back.” 

“I know.” Keith slowly knelt down to his level and Shiro could see how Keith had grown. He looked older, wiser, larger. He was more handsome than he last remembered, his hair long and even wilder than it had once been. He was a man now. A strong and kind man. His best friend. 

The love of his life.

“Keith,” Shiro whispered, slowly reaching up to touch the scar along his cheek. The reminder of what he’d almost done.  _ I love you, too _ . 

“It’s okay, Shiro. It wasn’t you. You’re back now, you’re safe. For good.” Keith’s hand wrapped around Shiro’s wrist and Shiro noted even his hands were larger, his fingers easily wrapping around. “I told you… as many times as it takes.” 

Shiro smiled softly at the memory and he nodded. “I know, Keith. I just wish you didn’t have to constantly save me all the time.” 

“I always will.” 

_ I love you _ , Keith had said. 

_ I love you, too _ , Shiro wanted to scream back but the words were lodged in his throat, swollen to a size preventing him from speaking. Tears shimmered in his eyes and with Keith holding his wrist, he had no other hand now to wipe them away. 

He was broken. A relic of what he once was. 

“What are we going to do about my arm?” Shiro asked slowly, drawing Keith’s intense stare away from his face to the broken appendage. 

“We’ll fix it,” Keith replied. “I’m sure Pidge’s dad can rig something up or if we get Coran the right materials… We’ll fix it. I promise.” 

“You know, I almost don’t mind,” Shiro replied. “With it gone, Haggar has no way of controlling me any longer.” 

Keith released Shiro’s wrist and slid his hand onto his shoulder instead. “You’re safe now, Shiro. You’re back…. I’m so glad you’re back. I’ve missed you.” 

“I’ve missed you, too.” 

Keith stood and turned to return to the pilot’s seat. Again, the words remained stuck, lost in Shiro’s vocal cords. They refused to be spoken even though his mind repeated the words on a loop like a broken record. 

_ I love you. I love you, too. I love you. I love you, too _ . 

“Keith,” he gasped, strangled by his own paranoia. 

“Hm?” Keith half turned and raised one of his eyebrows. 

“I’m sorry,” Shiro replied quietly. “I’m sorry I almost…” 

“It wasn’t you.” 

“I’m still sorry… and Keith?” 

“Yeah?” 

Shiro moved his gaze from Keith to the back of Krolia’s head. No private conversations on a lion when there were three inside. He didn’t want to make anyone uncomfortable and still, the words lived inside. “Keith, I…. I appreciate what you did for me.” 

Keith smiled softly, his face tender in a way he’d never seen Keith be before. “Anything for you, Shiro.” 

Keith returned to pilot the black lion and Shiro allowed his head to thunk against the metal behind him. 

_ I love you _ , Keith had said. 

“I love you, too,” Shiro whispered but it was too late and Keith was out of earshot. 

Shiro could count on his fingers how many times he’d heard the words  _ I love you _ and more importantly, he could now count on his fingers how many times he’d so clearly (so badly) wanted to say them back. 

**Author's Note:**

> I might write more, I'm not sure. Come yell at me on [tumblr](http://pining-sheith.tumblr.com/)


End file.
